by Amber Alexander

Created on: May 16, 2009   Last Updated: May 22, 2009

Excuses, excuses. It's time to get off your duff and get the exercise you need. For every reason (read: excuse) you have for not exercising, there are five more reasons you need to do it. From the size of your waist to the health of your heart, you NEED exercise. You'll feel better, you'll look better, and you'll live longer. The hardest step is the first one: getting past those excuses and getting started. Here we will tackle some of the most common excuses, and why they're just not valid.

Lack of Time

These days we're all pressed for time. Work, commuting, family obligations can all get in the way of our best healthy intentions. But guess what? You don't need a large chunk of time to reap the benefits of exercise. Studies show that several shorter exercise sessions are just as beneficial as one long workout. A quick walk in the morning or on your lunch break may be just the thing. And once you're squeezing in these short little workouts you may find something amazing happening. You have more energy and a better attitude and suddenly your busy stress filled life seems much more doable.

Lack of Funds

In this economy we're all watching our spending. But you don't need to shell out big bucks to get fit. A fancy gym membership and a personal trainer are really not necessary to improve your fitness. In fact for beginners, you really don't even need any equipment. Walking or running outdoors is simple cardio and there many resistance exercises that can be done in your own living room with no additional equipment necessary. As your fitness level improves, simply adjust your cardio by changing your route and finding new ways to challenge yourself. Take your resistance training up a notch with some inexpensive dumbbells or resistance bands. There is a wealth of information on the web about new exercises to try. If you feel you absolutely must have some professional guidance, consider a group training session or two. It works out to be quite a bit cheaper and has the added benefit of allowing you and a friend to hold each other accountable.

Lack of Childcare

Many gyms offer free childcare for their members, but if you are not lucky enough to have this benefit, you still have options. There are lots of exercises you can do in your own living room while the kids are napping. Or better yet, get them involved. Take them to the park and play tag (can you say cardio?). Dance around the living room. Many kids will even get a kick out of mimicking your movements as you work out along with a DVD. You get your exercise and as an added bonus, you're teaching your kids that fitness is fun, not a chore.

There are many more excuses for not exercising, but they all seem to somehow connect back to these three. And as you can see, they simply aren't valid. The benefits far outweigh any small sacrifices you're making. If you really want to get fit you can make it happen, all excuses aside.

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